Apparatus for treating asphaltic oils for the production of asphalt



June 24, 1930. M. R. L. MILLER 1,765,446

APPARATUS FOP TREATING ASPHALTIC OILS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ASPHALTFiled Jan. 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NW! mm M W1 W \HIMHW! W 1' llINVENTOR MAX B. Low MILLER ATTORNEY June 24, 1930. M. R. 1.. MILLER1,766,446

APPARATUS FOR TREATING ASPHALTIC OILS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ASPHALTFiled Jan. 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR MAX R. Low/Muse;

ATTORNEY v Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAX REELOW MILLER, OF WILMINGTON, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING ASPHALTIC OILS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ASPHALTApplication filed January 8, 1927. Serial No. 159,977.

My invention relates to the treatment of petroleum and petroleumresidues having an asphalt base to produce asphalt for commercialurposes, and it has particular reference to t e apparatus employed insuch treatment.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide an apparatus by whichasphaltic oils can be treated to produce oxidized asphalt possess- [0 ina relativel high melting point and a re atively low egree ofpenetration.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide an apparatus fortreating asphaltic oils by which the temperature of the oil can beregulated at will and held at any required temperature, depending uponthe nature of the oil being treated, whereby the running time requiredfor distillation is greatly reduced to the elimination of destructivedistillation and the production of asphalt having the superiorcharacteristics above mentioned.

I will describe only one form of apparatus for treating asphaltic oilsembodying my invention, and will then pointout the novel features inclaims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a view showing in vertical longitudinal section one form oftreating apparatus embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a view showing the apparatus in front end elevation;

Figure 3 is atransverse vertical sectional view of the apparatus.

Referring specifically to the drawings, my invention, in its presentembodiment, comprises a furnace setting 15 preferably formed of brickand constructed to provide a fire box-16 stepped as indicated at 17 andcommunicating at its rear end with an outlet passage 18. The front endof the furnace setting is provided with an opening in which is arrangeda short length of pipe 19 and into the latter is extended a fuel burner20. As shown in Figure 3, the opposite sides of the furnace settin areprovided with openings 21 controlled y dampers 22, the latter beingadjustable, as shown.

Supported upon the furnace setting is a still in the form of a metallictank 23 prefer ably jacketed with asbestos 24 and provided at itsforward end with a manhole 25 closed by a cover plate 26. The asphalticoil to be treated is adapted to be supplied to the still through achargin pipe line 27, and air or steam can be disc arged into the oilcontained in the still through a plurality of pipes 28 and 29, both ofwhich are in communication with the header pipe 30. As clearly shown inFigure 3, the pipes 28 are disposed vertically within the tank toosition their discharge ends at one side the tank, while the pipes 29are inclined so as to position their discharge ends at the opposite sideof the tank. Each pipe 28 or 29 is provided with a valve 31 by which thedischarge of air or steam from the pipes can be cpntrolled from a pointexteriorly of the still. The header 30 is designed to supply air to thepipes 28 and 29, and to this header is connected a steam header 32 forthe purpose of sup lying steam to the pipes 28 and 29 when esired.

The still 23 is provided with a dome 33 through which extends a verticalsteam supply pipe 34 connected at its lower end to a pipe 35 disposedlongitudinally within the still and adjacent the top thereof, itsopposite ends being open to discharge steam into the still above thebody of oil. A pipe 36 so communicates with the dome 33 and constitutesa vapor line for conducting the oil and steam vapors from the still tosuitable apparatus (not shown) for recovering the lighter productscontained in the oil vapor. As

.shown in Figure 1, the bottom of the still is provided with a draw-offpipe 37 throu h which the oxidized asphalt can be withdrawn from thestill. A valve 38 controls the discharge of asphalt, such valve beingprovided with a stem 39 which extends upwardly through the still andthrou h a. threaded sleeve 40. The upper end 0 the stem being providedwith a wheel 41 by which the stem can be rotated and thus 05 lowered orelevated to open or closethe valve.

For the purpose of controlling the temperature of the oil in the stillto prevent destructive distillation during the treatment of the oil, Iprovide a coolin means by which a cooling medium can be brought intocooling contact with the oil and constantly circulated so the heatedmedium is displaced by a cooled medium. This cooling means, in thepresent instance, comprises one pair of headers 42 connected to anotherpair of headers 43 through the medium of a plurality of pipes 44. Theheaders are sup ported on I-beams 45 secured within the still. Theheaders 42 are provided with branch pipes 46, both of which areconnected to a supply pipe 47. The headers 43 are connected to adischarge pipe 48 by means of pipes 49. These pipes 47 and 48 areadapted for connection to a cooling tower (not shown) in a manner toplace the headers 42 and 43 and, consequently, the pipes 44 in circuitcommunication with the cooling tower so that the cooling mediumcontained in the system, such as oil or gas or any other suitable fluid,can circulate through the headers and pipes and thereby displace theheated fluid with cooled fluid. However, the circulation of the fluid isautomatically controlled in accordance with the temperature of the oilin the still by means of thermostatically operated valves 50 and 51 inthe pipes 47 and 48, respectively, the valve 50 being provided with ath'ermo-coupling 52 extending into the still for direct contact with theoil and operating to open the valve 50 when the temperature of the oilrises above a predetermined degree. The valve 51 is likewise providedwith a thermo-coupling 53 extending into the connection between thepipes 49 and 48 so as to be responsive to the temperature of the fluidleaving the headers 43 to open the valve 51 when the temperature of suchfluid rises above a predetermined degree.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The oil to be treated issupplied to the still through the pipe 27 by a pump or other means untila suitable body is formed, as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawing. Thisbody is now heated b means of the burner 20 to a temperature 0 say, 260F. Concurrently with the heating of the oil, air is disa charged intothe oil through the pipes 28 and 29, preferably at the rate of 300 cubicfeet per minute, where the quantity of oil being treated is from 200 to300 barrels. When the temperature of the oil reaches 260, the burner isextinguished but the air supply continued as at this stage oxidi-zationtakes place and continues so long as the air is supplied to the oil. Asthe result of continued oxidization, the temperature of the oilcontinues to rise but through the employment of the cooling meanspreviously described the temperature of the oil can be kept belowdestructive distillation. lVhen the temperature of the oil approaches adestructive distillation temperature, the valves 50 and 51 automaticallyopen, thus allowing the heated cooling fluid in the pipes 44 to passfrom the still and to be displaced by a cool fluid, this circulation offluid being continuous so long as the valves 50 and 51 are open. By theprovision of this cooling means, the oxidization process can becontinued without fear of destructive distillation and to thus permitoxidization in suflicient volume to effect raising the melting point ofthe asphaltic content. This can be effected by increasing the volume ofair supplied from 300 to 700 cubic feet per minute. This increase isgradually extending over a period of from six to eight hours, and uponcompletion of the treatment the resultant asphalt can be discharged fromthe still by opening the valve 38. The entire process may require fromeighteen to seventy hours, depending upon the degree of penetration andthe melting point desired, as well as the nature of the oil beingtreated. By reason of the cooling system destructive distillation isprevented and, hence, the actual running time required to produceasphalt is greatly reduced as against previous apparatus.

During oxidization, steam is supplied to the still above the body of oilby the live steam line 35 and for the purpose of preventing the oil vaors from igniting. This steam, together with the oil vapors, isexhausted from the oil through the pipe 36,

and these vapors may be subsequently condensed, as will be understood.The introduction of steam into the still also provides the advantage ofgreatly aiding in decreasing penetration.

Where high gravity oils are treated, steam can be supplied to the bodyof oil in place of air, the steam header 32 being connected to the pipes28 and 29 so that when the respective valves of the latter are openedsteam will be discharged into the oil. This is for the purpose ofeffecting distillation of the oil to the extent of reducing its gravityto a degree which is suitable for treatment to produce asphalt. 7

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatusfor treating asphaltic oils for the production of asphalt, it is to beunderstood that various changes and modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus for treating asphaltic oils comprising a still adaptedto contain a body of oil to be treated, means exteriorly of the stillfor heating the oil therein, means for supplying air to the lowerportion of the still interiorly of the oil solely to effect oxidizationof the latter, pipesin the lower portion of the still so as to besubmerged in the oil, means by which a cooling fluid is circulatedthrough the pipes, and means for automatically control-ling thecirculation of fluid through the pipes by the temparature of the oil inthe still in a manner to prevent destructive distillation of the oil.

2. An apparatus for treating asphaltic oils comprising a still adaptedto contain a body of oil to be treated, means exteriorly of the stillfor heating the oil therein, means for supplying air into the lowerportion of the still solely to effect oxidization of the oil, pipesdisposed in the lower portion of the still so as to be submerged in-theoil, means by which a cooling fluid is circulated through the pipes, andthermostatically operated valves for controlling the circulation offluid through the pipes by the temperature of the oil in the still toprevent destructive distillation of the oil.

3. An apparatus for treating asphaltic oils comprising a still adaptedto contain a body of oil to be treated, means exteriorly of the stillfor heating the oil therein, means for supplying air into the lowerportion of the still to eflect oxidization of the oil, pipes disposed inthe lower portion of the still so as to be submerged in the oil, means bwhich a cooling fluid is circulated through the pi es, athermostatically operated valve contro ling the supply of fluid to thepipe in accordance with the temperature of the oil in the still, and asecond thermostatically operated valve controlling the discharge offluid from the pipes in accordance with the temperature of the fluid.

4. An apparatus for treating asphaltic oils comprising a still adaptedto contain a body of oil to be treated, means for heating oil in thestill, pipes in the lower portion of the still so as to be submerged inthe oiland through which a cooling fluid is adapted to be circulated,automatic means for controlling the supply of cooling fluid to the pipesin accordance with the temperature of oil in the still, and automaticmeans for controlling the discharge of cooling fluid from the pipes inaccordance with the temperature of the fluid.

MAX REE LOW MILLER.

